R XVIII

NIGHTS OF GLADNESS!

Our nights around Ploegsteert fully made up for the peacefulness of the
days, and "No Man's Land" between the two lines of trenches became the
scene of many exciting adventures.

This was particularly true of the area directly in front of us, as a
large beanfield extended from the German line nearly to ours. It was a
dull night indeed that our listening post did not either bomb, or get
bombed by, an enemy patrol. Casualties, though, were fewer than one
would expect from such combats, as bombs are very local in their action,
and it was not easy to locate the enemy's position exactly by ear as he
rustled his way through the beans.

Behind the lines there was less romantic work; for General Joffre, in an
odd moment, had sent a circular letter to the various divisions calling
attention to a new form of trench for protection against shell fire,
and we dug these trenches till there was hardly a foot of Allied soil
unturned. Later, during the rains, we drained our living trench into
them on the principle that the uncomfortable sensation experienced
during a heavy shelling would act as a distraction to the inconvenience
of standing in several feet of water.

While we were in these trenches the enemy fired the dry yellow grass in
"No Man's Land" a few nights after their capture of our line at
Sanctuary Wood, near Hooge, with the flame projectors or
"flammenwerfers." A hurried "stand-to" was ordered, as we thought a
similar attack was about to be made.

But the fire died down and we saw no signs of the enemy coming over. It
was, however, an anxious night, and great interest was taken in widening
our wire entanglements as more and more details of the Hooge affair
trickled down to us. How we longed for a supply of the iron stakers that
our patrols brought in time after time from the German wire! We got
them, too--later.

Later the Germans could not have burned down our wire, even had they
tried, as a week of heavy rains came on, and, on such trifles do the
fates of nations hang, these had a most serious effect on the "Autumn
Push"--it was already September--as our offensive around Hulluch and
Loos was called.

We were in reserve during the first two days of the attack, and received
with clock-like regularity the _communiques_ telling of our successful
advances.

Our gunners were co-operating by the process known as "engaging the
enemy's artillery," but we did not doubt that the Toronto Ba